Pleistocene epoch

Introduction

Pleistocene epoch (plĪˈstəsēn) [key], 6th epoch of the Cenozoic era of geologic time (see Geologic Timescale, table). According to a classification that considered its deposits to have been formed by the biblical great flood, the epoch was originally called the Quaternary. Analyses of the magnetic polarity in deep-sea sediment cores indicated that the Pleistocene began more than 1.8 million years ago—much earlier than had previously been suspected (see glacial periods). Since the interglacial periods of the Pleistocene were of longer duration than the time elapsed since the end of the Pleistocene 11,000 years ago, it is sometimes suggested that the Holocene, or Recent, epoch, which is occurring now, may be merely another such interglacial stage and that the glaciers may return at some future time.